Basic Course in Pediatric Heart Failure and Heart Transplantation – Niakoro

Basic Course in Pediatric Heart Failure and Heart Transplantation

Basic Course in Pediatric Heart Failure and Heart Transplantation

Course Content

Total learning: 67 lessons / 6 quizzes Time: 8 hours

Home Care after Pediatric Heart Transplant

Authors: Mohammed AlHaddad and Yaser Alali (Pediatric Heart Failure & Transplant Coordinators at KFSH&RC)

Importance in any program: post Pediatric Heart Transplant Care at home and Family Education.

Objective: Create a comfortable environment for the heart transplant patients and their families and familiarize them with post transplant lifestyle, medications, benefits and risks of the procedure

Principals:

  • Inform patients and their families that lifelong follow up medical care is mandatory.
  • Commitment to follow up visits, laboratory tests, X-ray, echocardiography and biopsy is essential.
  • Compliance to timely medications intake and adherence to the prescribed dosage.

Our supporting team at KFSH&RC is available for support 24 /7 (2 coordinators for pediatric HTx follow-up)Information

Provided to Patients and Families:

Educational material is provided to the family on discharge day, clarifying all above information in Arabic with the contact number of the coordinator to call for any queries.

  • Follow up and medial care ( stay in Riyadh for the first 2 -3 months, appointments, Cardiac cath, lab tests….)
  • Medication: Immunosuppressants and regular medications.
  • Exercises
  • Diet
  • Hygiene and PPEs
  • School attendance
  • Animal and pets
  • Religious aspect (fasting Ramadan , Umrah or Hajj)

Frequently asked questions

  • What to do in case the patient vomits after taking the medication ?
  • Why is the patient gaining weight and eating more than before?
  • Is the patient allowed to go to crowded places ?
  • Is the patient allowed to share the personal items with others ?
  • What will happen if a dose of medication is skipped?
  • How to stay safe if one of the family members got sick or has flu symptoms?

Risks and Complications:

  • Transplant rejection and infections are the most common risks during the first year.
  • Fever, Tachycardia, Dyspnea, Fatigue are the most common symptoms of complications. The family is instructed to contact us if any of these signs appear.

In case of emergency the patients should be transported to KFSH, if possible or to the nearest hospital

 

 

 

 

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